The judge of the military court in El Obeid, North Kordofan, dismissed the charges against Saeed Ali El Awad on 15 April, and freed him. The 26-year-old student arrived in Khartoum on Friday for medical purpose, as his health condition has been very bad during his detention.
The Human Rights and Development Organization (Hudo) issued a press release on Sunday, stating that the judge ruled that the evidence against El Awad does not lead to his conviction under article 141/1 of the Criminal Procedure Act. The second year student of economics and social studies at the University of Khartoum was accused, along with other suspects, of spying for a rebel movement, and conspiracy against the state.
“His health condition is very bad, he is suffering from epistaxis, severe vomiting and loss of appetite,” Hudo wrote in its statement. Speaking to Radio Tamazuj in the beginning of this month, the lawyer Bilal Hassan noted that El Awad “is suffering badly from hepatitis disease inside military custody while the concerned authorities are refusing to take him to the hospital for treatment”.
The citizen from South Kordofan was arrested on 25 November last year at his home in Um Cham Chaka, near Abu Karshola, in the Nuba Mountains. Several hearings had taken place until his acquisition last week. Hassan pointed out that the trial of a civilian before a military court is unprecedented, saying it “turns the laws upside down”.
Judge accuses civilians
The judge in the same military court session on 15 April ruled that seven civilians from the Nuba Mountains and two from Darfur have a case to answer under the Criminal Pact Act (article 50). They are accused of spying for the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Army-North, undermining and conspiracy against the constitutional government. The judge adjourned the case to next 30 April.
Hudo stated that the nine defendants are:
1. Mubarak Ishag: 25 yrs old, trader, arrested in Rashad
2. El Sadiq Adam Daheeya: 32 yrs old, gold mining labourer
3. Amar Adam Arbab: 29 yrs old, trader, arrested in Rashad (from Garsila / Darfur)
4. Ibrahim Eisa: 24 yrs old, trader, arrested in Rashad
5. Muhyeldin Ibrahim: 25 yrs old, trader, arrested in Rashad (from Darfur)
6. Juma Butri Juma: 21 yrs old, herdsman, arrested in Abu Zabad
7. Hasheem Teiman: 23 yrs old, herdsman, arrested in Abu Zabad
8. Faroug Eisa Kajo: 29 yrs old, farmer, arrested in Khor El Delaib
9. Ibrahim Adam: 20 yrs old, trader, arrested in Moreib
The humanitarian organisation urged the national, international NGOs and defenders to put more pressure in stopping military courts trying civilians, and to ensure that the defendants rights to be tried in a fair civilian court is respected.
File photo Hurriyatsudan